'I rang Triple-0': Suffocating smoke covers Coast home

SMOKE from a permitted burn at Wolvi forced a Noosa couple to ring triple zero, frightened it would engulf their Cootharaba home.

John Charlton lives on Black Finch Rd, a 30-minute drive from where the permitted burn on Kin Kin Rd, south of Gympie, was taking place Wednesday night. Mr Charlton said the smoke blanketed his home for most of the night, both he and his partner struggled to breathe throughout the night.

"It was oppressive,” he said.

The smell and low-lying cloud of smoke had Mr Charlton and his partner terrified they were about to experience a repeat of a historic blaze that had funnelled up Eastern Branch Road at the bottom of the property.

He said the "low cloud inversion effect” had pinned smoke from the controlled burn low to the ground.

"It's then been blown south by the north, north-westerly winds,” he said.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service was inundated with calls from Coast residents Wednesday night with reports of a widespread burning smell.

QFES Brad Gardner said residents from Noosa to Caloundra were calling the station with complaints.

Mr Gardner said the lingering smoke haze was the result of a permitted burn by HQ Plantations.

He said "stuffy” weather conditions kept the smoke from being blown away. Fire crews were not needed on scene.